Web APIs: New Microsoft-Google Battlefield

Web APIs are the new battlefield between Microsoft and Google. As news.com reports there will be a series of Web API announcements from Microsoft this week at their Professional Developers Conference in LA. Dare Obasanjo in his blog says this includes MSN Virtual Earth, MSN Messenger, Start.com, and MSN Search. In yet another prize-for-coolest-app comes the World's Best App contest to showcase the new MSN Messenger Activity API (maybe 'coolest app' will become a required marketing move for vendors looking to generate interest in their new APIs?).